Mario-The Artifacts of Life
by Bakura-Kun98
Summary: A sacred gem has been discovered in the Mushroom Kingdom. As Mario and Luigi decide to check it out, As the world is beginning to undo itself from creation, Mario must find the other sacred gems and heroes, him being the hero of fire. But what are these visions that Mario's begun to have? Filled with cute BROTHERLY love! ON HIATUS until inspiration or I finish Just Peachy.
1. Prologue

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Mario and his friends. They all belong to Nintendo.

* * *

The brilliant rays of the morning light beam through the window next to my bed, my eyes slowly drifting open.

I glance at the alarm clock atop the nightstand-9:32. Heh, guess I slept in. I should get up-Luigi's probably awake by now.

Motivated by sheer will, I force myself from the warm covers of my bed to the chilling floor. Ughh, it's cold in here-like, really cold. Knowing Luigi, I'm surprised it's not-at the very least-75 degrees in here. Oh well, maybe the rest of the house isn't so bad...

My suspicion was correct-it's noticably warmer just outside my room-how is such a drastic temperature change even possible here?

I eventually dismiss the thought, deciding that once I fully wake up, everything will be normal once more. I'm wearing a plain, long-sleeved red shirt, with long, blue pants that cover the top half of my brown boots (that I just put on after climbing out of bed). So I walk into the living room, taking a seat next to my brother, Luigi (who's dressed the same, except with a green shirt, the pants fit him better, and the shades of his pants and boots are slightly darker than mine).

"Good morning, Mario! You alright? You seem a bit shaken up." he asks me.

"No, it's nothing. I'm fine." I reply.

He looks unconvinced, but if he is, he doesn't press the topic any further.

A brief silence follows, followed by a shout from outside.

"MAIL CALL!" Thank you, Parakarry. As if I don't have enough to handle, I'll have to worry about eventually going deaf, too. Such pleasant thoughts.

Well-used to this routine, we head outside to meet with Parakarry, a light-blue shelled Paratroopa with a brown helmet and boots, along with a matching mail carrier. He hands a pink envelope to me, as we all know who it's from.

Yeah-I think the 'pink' gave it away.

"Thanks, Parakarry!" I say, smiling a little.

"Hey, it's what I do best." he replies. "Now, I gotta go. See ya later, Mario! Oh, and Luigi!"

We wave to the mail-Koopa, then head back inside, both of us eager to find out what the princess is up to now.

'Dear Mario and Luigi,  
I've recently stumbled upon a magnificent and mysterious artifact. Meet me at the castle as soon as possible so that we can discuss further. Perhaps you two can help me discover the mysteries behind this. I'll be waiting.  
-Princess Peach'

"Huh, this actually seems pretty interesting." I admit.

"Yeah, we should go check this out. I mean, it's at the castle, right?" Luigi adds.

I nod in agreement. "Yep. It'll be nice to see the princess again... Let's go, Weegee!"

And so, we head off for Princess Peach's castle. Let's just hope Bowser doesn't ruin everything again...or anyone else, for that matter...

* * *

Oooh, cliffhanger. Muahaha.

Please R&R if you can.


	2. Chapter 1

Now to continue.  
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Mario. Him and everyone else used in this story all belong to Nintendo.

* * *

We make our way to Princess Peach's castle, taking in the lush, picturesque environment. Ever since we first stumbled upon the Mushroom Kingdom, we had held a fascination with the grassy plains, the light, smiling clouds overhead-even the flora wore permanent smiles, their eyes always open and alert. It was as if everything wanted to welcome your arrival, to make you feel more 'at home'. I had always admired that. I felt safe here, even when Bowser attacked the kingdom (as usual).

Once we approach the castle, the guards, fully recognizing us, immediately permit our entry. We step inside the all-too-familiar castle, the princess waiting for us just ahead.

"Oh, Mario! Luigi! I'm so glad you two could join me!" she exclaims. "The artifact I mentioned in the letter is just this way!"

We nod, following her into a hidden chamber, the stone-walled room glowing with a powerful, crimson light.

"Where's that light coming from?" I ask, clueless.

The princess smiles as she points ahead to a small, glistening gem. We hurry ahead to examine the artifact, placed upon a fiery red altar, almost perfectly matching the gem's color.

"Whoa...what is this?" Luigi asks, awestruck.

"I...I'm not really sure what this is." she replies. She then notices Luigi struggling to pick it up. "Be careful-that gem's pretty heavy. I had to call upon some Toad retainers just to haul this thing here." Her eyes widen, as if she is struck with an idea. "Hey, Mario, wanna try picking this thing up?" she suggests.

I nod, wondering how it would make any difference at all. Nevertheless, I try to pick up the fiery gem, and, somehow, I lift it in my hands with ease. It...it's so warm...

Luigi and the princess stare at me in shock. "Wa-what? M-M-Mario, how did you..."

Their voices fade, and all I see is a white flash consuming my vision. I see...Luigi. His voice, weak and raspy, breaks my heart.

_"Help...h-help m-m-me..." he pleads, rubble burying the bottom half of his body, his eyes a faint blue. From what I can see, his clothes are torn, and a deep lighting bolt-shaped gash runs down his right cheek, dried blood over his deathly-pale skin. Just the sight of him brings tears in my eyes._

_I try to reach out for him. "Lu...L-Luigi..." I call, scared for his life._

_I whimper as his eyes glaze over, left lifeless, and I can't do anything but watch. Why? W-why Luigi?_

_"M-Mario_...Mario!"

Huh? I'm...at the castle again, still holding the crimson artifact in my hands.

"Woah...you okay? You were just kind of...staring out into space." Luigi says. "I heard you calling out for me...is something wrong?"

I shake my head, as if to snap out of a dream. "Uhh...y-yeah. I'm fine..." I lie. I don't even know how I dreamed about that-what if Luigi worried about it? I can't tell them yet.

"..." I know he doesn't believe me-whenever I lie, it's painfully obvious to everyone. I mean, I don't like lying to others, but...even I don't understand what just happened...

"Look...I don't know...honest..."

...There's no getting around this-by the time we leave the castle, Luigi will hound me about this until he gets a full answer out of me.

"Mario...do you remember anything? Like what happened when you held that gem?" the princess asks me gently.

"Umm...all I remember...is a white flash," I stop myself as I almost confess about what I saw. "n-nothing else..."

"Hmm...well, alright. If that's all you can remember, then..." What is she getting at? I have the feeling she's trying to tell me something...

"Princess," I begin, my voice almost shaky. "is there...something I should know? S-something you can tell me...about all this?"

She steps closer to me. "Well, it's only a myth, but...it's said that, 1000 years ago, there were six sacred gems, all sealed within a temple. There, they sustained all aspects of life-fire, electricity, water, earth, ice, and wind...

"All knew their powers very well-even the darkest, most vile beings of the world avoided the temple at all costs, knowing the far-reaching outcomes of tampering with such power."

"What would happen...i-if someone did steal one of the gems?" Luigi asks.

"Well, it is rumored that, if one were to steal one of the sacred stones, the world would be deprived of the corresponding element of life, plunging the world in discord and chaos..."

"Wait, then...if this is one of the sacred artifacts, how did it get here?" I ask.

"According to legend, the temple has started to collapse. As a result, the six artifacts were scattered across the world, awaiting the day the heroes would find them... Even now, life's essence has begun to undo itself... It's only a matter of time before the world itself is thrown completely out of balance, thus resulting in, what seems to be...the undoing of the world...

"And it seems that you, Mario, are the hero of fire." Peach continues. "If we can find the other five stones, as well as the other heroes, hope may still endure. But we must hurry."

I nod in understanding. "Are there any clues as to the whereabouts of the other artifacts?"

Peach shakes her head. "As far as I recall, there was no indication whatsoever."

"So, what should we do?" Luigi finally asks.

Peach ponders the question for a few seconds, then responds with, "Well, it's hard to say...but I'll try to research the topic further. For now, I think it's best for you both to return home. I'll contact you if I discover anything new."

"Alright, princess. Take care." I reply as we exit the chamber. Then Luigi follows me as I head out of the castle.

"Anything else?" Luigi asks me; I cringe in defeat-he just won't stop until I confess.

Still, I deny it. "N-no...n-n-nothing..."

He grabs ahold of my wrists, turning me to face him. "What else did you see?" he persists, his blue eyes staring into mine.

"Nothing. Let's just go." I lie-I can keep this up, if I have to.

His eyes narrow slightly, and it feels as if he could break me in seconds. "Tell me."

"No."

"Please, I need to know."

"No, you don't. I'm fine. Let me go."

"Not until you tell me what you saw."

"Nothing."

"Then why were you crying out for me?" His gaze softens, and he holds me closer. "Please, I know something's wrong...what happened?"

"L-Luigi...I-I..." I hesitate. "D-don't worry about me...I-I'm fine..." I finally pull away from him before he can hold me back again.

He remains silent until we return home.

"Just...just tell me..." he presses.

"I'm fine..." I lie, trying to run into my room.

But before I can, Luigi hugs me close.

This makes me smile. We have such a close bond-nothing could ever break it. I almost want to tell him-in a way, he deserves to know.

"I love you, and I'm scared..." he whispers to me, his eyes closed as he rests his head on my chest, and I can tell he's crying. His cheeks glisten with fresh tears, and I want nothing less but to wipe them away and convince him that everything will be okay.

But, deep inside, I know that's not the case...

* * *

Cliffhanger time! Now, what happens next is up to you, reviewers. Should Mario tell Luigi what he envisioned earlier, or should he keep it all a secret? I just wanna see what you think. So please R&R.


	3. Chapter 2

Well, here's another sweet chapter of a grand tale! Sorry for the looooong wait.

But thanks to _Shining Scales_, a very generous and kind friend and author, the wait is over.

Enjoy! :D

**Disclaimer: Mario copyright Nintendo. Not surprising anyone by now, I suppose...**

* * *

Luigi, my frail, innocent brother...I have always admired his sympathetic nature. Some may forget his name, or even diss him for his fears. But, to me at least, Luigi is the most courageous person I've ever known. He's overcome so much to protect the ones he loves, and I just couldn't bear to see him like this. Shaken up, he's still sobbing in my arms.

My heart breaks at the sight; he tightly clings to me as if his life depends on it. Tears spill down his cheeks, and I lift his head, just enough to brush a hand against his reddened cheeks to wipe away the streams of tears dribbling, even down to his neck.

"L-Luigi...I-I..." My voice trembles with each word I say. I was still apprehensive as to whether or not I should confess what I saw earlier. After seconds of overflowing my mind with worry, I settle upon a decision.

"What is it, Bro?" my warm-hearted brother murmers, his voice so soft I only understand him by reading his lips.

"I...I don't want you to worry about me, okay? Whatever happened, I'm sure everything will be alright. Do...do you trust me when I say everything will be okay?"

He slowly nods, his gentle, innocent light-blue eyes meeting with mine for just a few seconds, before he, once again, buries his face in my arms. I can feel my sleeves dampen as tears drip from his cheeks onto my arms. "I...I-I trust you, Bro. I've a-always...trusted you. And I-I'm sorry, Mario..."

I slide an arm around to the back of his neck, and I tighten the embrace comfortingly. "You've done nothing wrong." I whisper to him gently. "Please, don't blame yourself. I...I won't let anything happen to you...I promise..."

"But..." He clings to me tighter as I hear a loud sob erupt from his throat. "w-what about you? I don't _ever_ want to lose you, Mario!"

He convulses, and I feel him shivering violently in my arms. Somehow, I feel my hands getting warmer. Soon, they burst with such heat that they should've blistered, yet they remained unscathed. I rest my hands atop my brother's shoulders, letting the heat seep into his body, and his quivering subsides after just a few seconds. A smile that could only be crafted from the power of both faith and amity warms his face, and I return it.

"You won't lose me, because...I'll never leave you behind in this world... I promise you, no matter the situation...we're in this together..."

"Thank you, Bro. I...I feel so warm...but how...?" he murmers softly, and I allow just a touch more heat to pass into his body. I'm careful not to adjust the temperature rapidly, as that could hurt my brother, and I would never _dream_ of causing harm to such a pure-hearted brother and friend. I deeply and truly admire him; I've only begun to express it into words, but the river of love courses deeply through my veins.

"This is for you, Luigi. Stay strong..." I whisper softly, and we slowly part as he wipes away his tears with his sleeve.

* * *

Dusk settles over the canopies of the trees overhead, the rich scarlet-orange hues enshrouding the sky, leaving behind only a few wisps of azure above. Already, my eyes feel so heavy, I'm only faintly sustaining my consciousness.

Well, at least Luigi seems hopeful. I'm just glad I could consolidate him in time.

I try to stand up from my seat, but I end up almost crashing. Thankfully, my faithful brother was able to support me before I fell face-first.

"You okay, Bro? You seem exhausted." he says, and I nod.

"Uh, yeah. Thanks, Luigi." Heh, maybe sleeping isn't such a bad idea right now, after all.

I carefully ease my way into bed, and I doze off nearly effortlessly.

_Huh? Where...what's going on? Is this...another dream?_

_"M...ario..." a wispy, vaguely familiar feminine voice rings in my ears, and all around me are orbs of light-red, yellow, azure, virian, light blue, and silver. "Hero of Flame...you shall be granted with a power that can smite the black-hearted and tame the fire that had, before now, rested dormantly within you..." From a delicate sihouette, I see it-or her, rather-extend her arms, and the red orb, still whirling around me swiftly, glimmers fiercely as it seems to dissolve inside of me, and I feel sparks of power emerge from within. She then urges me to test out my new ability as my environment changes to what seems to be a battlefield._

_Well, here goes. I close my eyes, deeply inhale, tightening my focus to its maximum potential, and I unleash a vortex of flames from my body, and it emblazes everything I can see around me._

_The scenery changes back to a light canvas with an undefined end, the mysterious figure faintly in my view. "Well done, hero. You're a natural. Of course, that's why I've chosen you to embark on such a perilous quest..."_

_"Q-quest? Wait, what's going on here? J-just who are you, anyway?" I ask all at once. Seemingly endless questions have made me ponder ever since that strange...dream..._

_"Hear my words, valiant Hero of Flame...time is short... Already, the world is falling apart... Surely, it won't be long until life itself has become obsolete. Please, you must find the other sacred artifacts of life...and unite with the other five heroes, respectively..."_

_A bit awestruck, I nod. "Yes...I shall fulfill my purpose. But...what about that...dream? What of Luigi? Will he be alright?"_

_"I cannot say for sure, but...there are several paths in life...and it is up to you to follow your heart and choose what is best..." As she finishes her reply, the silhouette abruptly fades from my view, and everything becomes quite blurry._

_"W-wait! I-I still don't understand everything! What's going on?"_

_The empty white abyss fades to black before my eyes as I drift from my erratic dreams_...

* * *

Ooooh abrupt cliffhanger!

Please feel free to R&R if you want. No obligation, I hope you just enjoyed the story. :)

**Edit**: I had to add that line in the middle of the chapter, since otherwise the Doc Manager doesn't seem to save 'skipped' lines.

And thank you, kookylover98, for your reviews and support. Thank you all, in fact. :)


	4. Chapter 3

Thanks to a little inspiration, I've completed the third chapter! Let's-a go!

**Disclaimer: Last time I checked, my name isn't Shigeru Miyamoto. (translation: I own _nothing!_)**

* * *

"So, that's why you were so spacey this morning." he concludes after I disclose my dream last night.

"Huh?" I ask. "What happened?"

"Well, when I first tried waking you up, you kept mumbling in you sleep and tossing a bit. I couldn't even comprehend what you were trying to say, but I'm glad you're okay, Bro."

"Oh...uhh..." I've kept that vision of Luigi a secret, but still...I'm not sure, I mean, it could be a sign. But I especially remember one thing from my dream.

_There are several paths in life...and it is up to you to follow your heart and choose what is best..._

Yes...she was right, I suppose. So, just as long as I protect Luigi from harm, he should be safe...I hope. Because, without him, I would have no reason to persevere. He is not only my brother, but my closest friend. I...I don't even _want_ to imagine how miserable and tedious life would be without him, and I have devoted my life to protecting him and the others from harm whenever I could. But, to this very day, pangs of guilt resurface, because of that tragic day...

The day I had to fight him... Sure, he appeared and acted quite different from the faithful companion I knew and loved, and I refused to believe it was him at first, but...inside, I had known all along...

Just as Luigi opens his mouth to speak, my pocket begins to vibrate.

"Your Mailbox SP!" he exclaims. "Maybe the princess has figured out the artifacts' locations!"

I flip it open, and as fate would have it, Peach has sent me a new message. I read it aloud to Luigi.

**_"Dear Mario,_**  
**_I've searched through the castle's library in an attempt to uncover more information about the artifacts. Through my efforts, I've found a single passage in one of the kingdom's most treasured tomes that has caught my eye: The artifacts connect to each other. If one were to be in the corresponding hero's possession, another could be tracked down by the hero connecting one's spirit and heart with the artifact's element, and through this link the hero would be pointed to the next artifact's location through his mind._**

**_"I'll investigate further, but for now you should try connecting with that fire gem. Perhaps you may uncover the next artifact's location. Good luck, Mario!_**  
**_-From Peach"_**

"Alright, well, let's give it a go!" Luigi exclaims, pushing the gem on the table towards me, and I close my eyes, deeply inhale, and slowly press my hand against the gem's light, glassy surface. Heat rapidly surges through my hand, and I focus all of my energy through the sacred artifact.

I...I see a cliff, bolts of lightning striking every crevice. The clouds overhead are a deep grey, shrouding the land in a blanket of darkness. Well, it's not exactly the _friendliest_ place I've ever seen, but if one of the artifacts is resting there, it's well worth the visit.

"So? See anything, Mario?" Luigi asks me eagerly, eyes lit up in unstifled excitement.

I tell him exactly what I see, and he suggests that I e-mail Princess Peach about it.

And so I do, an almost eerie silence following for several minutes, until we see the Mailbox SP vibrate awkwardly as it almost falls off the table.

**_Mario,_**  
**_Some peculiar memory has resurfaced in correspondance to the place you described in your previous e-mail. I do not recall much about the area or why I was even there, but I believe that area is known as Thunder Bluff, named for its constant thunderstorms. For some reason, I also remember seeing a strange yellow gem similar to the red one you now possess. If I remember correctly, there is a strange town just south of the Mushroom Kingdom. From there is a gate that leads to Thunder Bluff. But be careful, Mario-I sense grave danger beyond this kingdom. Just please make it back in one piece! I-I mean WE-need you!_**  
**_-Peach_**

Luigi stands behind me and looks over my shoulder to read this. "Thunder Bluff, huh? I can't say that sounds familiar."

"Yeah...just how does she know all of this, anyway?" We ponder this for about twenty seconds after I stand up, then we dismiss the thought almost entirely. "Well, I guess it doesn't really matter now..." I reread Peach's directions. "South of the Mushroom Kingdom, huh? Well, let's be careful-I'm getting a bad vibe off this place already." Not to mention that _'strange town'_ Peach told us about in her e-mail. Just thinking about all this sends chills down my spine, and I'm not really sure why. Then again, my intuition seldom fails me.

"Okay, Mario! And I...I'll try not to get in the way..." he replies sadly.

I smile reassuringly at him, patting him on the head. "You never do, Luigi. In fact, I have you to thank for coming this far." I could've rambled into a speech about each and every reason why I cherish my bro, how I'm always scared for his safety, (and just so you know, that's why I sometimes don't let him join me on my adventures-I would _never_ forgive myself if I let him get hurt, or worse...) and how if it weren't for him I wouldn't be around today...but something held me back, as if my short and simple response was sentimental and meaningful enough. But, at least to me, it wasn't. It never was.

He smiles back, his eyes lighting up in joy. "Th-thank you, Bro! And I'll do my best, even if I surpass my limits!" he declares proudly.

"But promise me you'll be careful." I reply, and I can feel my eyes widen in a mixture of fear and concern. "Please, I'll never forgive myself if anything happens to you."

"Hehe, don't worry about me, Mario! I'll be fine with you by my side!" he assures me, that all-too-familiar glint of innocence in his eyes.

I just hope he's right, because I just can't shake off that horrid, dreadful feeling inside of me, warning me that something terrible is bound to happen soon...

* * *

Well, next chapter, Mario and Luigi shall discover that 'strange town''s creepy mystery.

Hope you enjoyed! If you guys (or girls) have any suggestions or ideas, please feel free to review and/or PM me, if it's more personal.


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